Lecture 2: The importance of the early environment

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Questions and Answers

What was done to prevent epidemic infection among babies below nine months of age?

They were placed in foster homes

They were kept singly in separate cubicles (correct)

They were given extra vaccinations

They were fed a special diet

What was the main finding of Goldfarb's study (1945) on children placed in foster homes from orphanages?

Both early and late placement had the same mean IQ

Early placement had a higher mean IQ (correct)

Late placement had a higher mean IQ

Early placement had no effect on IQ

According to Dennis (1973), what is the relationship between the age of adoption and eventual IQ?

Adoption age only affects social skills, not IQ

Adoption age has no effect on eventual IQ

The earlier the adoption, the lower the eventual IQ

The later the adoption, the lower the eventual IQ (correct)

What is a characteristic of children who spent 3+ years in an institution, according to Goldfarb?

Inability to conceptualize Signup and view all the answers

What is a social-emotional disability of children who spent 3+ years in an institution, according to Goldfarb?

Inability to form secure bonds Signup and view all the answers

What is a type of institution mentioned in the text?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What was the main difference between the 'hospitals' and 'orphanages' mentioned in the text?

There was no major difference between them Signup and view all the answers

What was the focus of the English/Romanian Adoption Study?

The conditions in Romanian orphanages Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary condition of toys and playthings in the institutions?

Few, if any Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the English/Romanian Adoption Study?

To examine the recovery of orphans following removal from impoverished circumstances Signup and view all the answers

How were children often fed in the institutions?

By bottles with large teats, often left propped up Signup and view all the answers

How many children were adopted from Romania and adopted into English families before the age of 2 years?

111 Signup and view all the answers

At what age were both groups of children assessed?

4 years Signup and view all the answers

What can be said about the adopting parents for both groups?

They were above average in education and occupation Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of Romanian adoptees showed cognitive impairment in the 6-year cognitive assessment?

15% of Romanian adoptees compared with 2% of within UK adoptees Signup and view all the answers

What is the correlation between the duration of institutional care and cognitive impairment?

A positive correlation, meaning more impairment with longer duration Signup and view all the answers

What is the other major correlate with cognitive functioning besides duration of institutional care?

Head circumference Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome for Romanian adoptees who were adopted before 6 months old?

Similar to UK adoptee controls, with very similar outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the general conclusion about the effects of deprivation on children's development?

Deprivation has a lasting impact on children's development, but can be overcome with a move to a stimulating environment Signup and view all the answers

What factor determines the degree to which the deficits can be overcome?

The period of time spent in the deprived environment Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant outcome of the Woodhead (1985) study on the long-term effects of a school readiness program?

Fewer referrals for special education programs Signup and view all the answers

What was a key component of the Perry Preschool Program?

Home visits for parents Signup and view all the answers

What was a notable outcome of the Perry Preschool Program?

Better social competence Signup and view all the answers

When did the Early Head Start program begin?

1995 Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary goal of the Early Head Start program?

To enhance early childhood education Signup and view all the answers

How many low-income families were served by the Early Head Start program by 2005?

62,000 Signup and view all the answers

What was a key feature of the Abecedarian Project?

It began early in infancy Signup and view all the answers

What was a benefit of the Abecedarian Project at 4 years old?

Benefits in language, social interactions, and IQ Signup and view all the answers

What was a factor in enhancing cognitive skills in the Abecedarian Project?

Enhanced language skills Signup and view all the answers

What was a long-term benefit of the Abecedarian Project?

Higher education level and lower unemployment Signup and view all the answers

How many years of exposure to early education did the treated children receive?

5 years Signup and view all the answers

How were the infants assigned to the intervention and control conditions?

Random assignment Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Preventing Epidemic Infections

Babies below 9 months of age were kept in separate cubicles with brief, hurried contacts with adults to prevent epidemic infections.

Effects of Psychological Deprivation in Infancy

Goldfarb (1945) compared early (3 years) placement of children in foster homes from orphanages and found that early placement resulted in a mean IQ of 95, while late placement resulted in a mean IQ of 72.
Goldfarb concluded that institutional effects lasting 3 years or more have long-lasting and probably irreversible effects.
Dennis (1973) noted that the greater the age of adoption, the lower the eventual IQ attained.

Characteristics of Institutionally Deprived Children

Cognitive disabilities:
Lower ability to conceptualize
Poorer speech development
Inability to concentrate
Poorer school achievement
Social-emotional disabilities:
Social immaturity
Aggressiveness
Insatiable for affection but unable to form secure bonds
Inability to adhere to rules and failure to show guilt when breaking rules

English/Romanian Adoption Study

Conditions in Romanian orphanages:
Children were confined to cots with few toys or playthings
Little talk from caregivers and no personalized caregiving
Variable and sometimes harsh physical environments
Purpose of the study: To examine recovery in orphans following removal from impoverished circumstances and determine if initial deficits were caused by early impoverishment.
Sample:
111 children from Romania adopted into English families before the age of 2 years
52 adoptees from within England
Follow-up:
Cognitive assessment at 6 years: 15% of Romanian adoptees had cognitive impairment compared to 2% of within UK adoptees
Linear association of impairment with duration of institutional care
Head circumference was a major correlate with cognitive functioning
Follow-up in young adulthood: Romanian adoptees adopted before 6 months had outcomes similar to UK adoptee controls, while those adopted after 6 months had higher rates of cognitive impairment, autism-spectrum disorder, ADHD symptoms, and lower self-reported emotional well-being.

Conclusions from Orphanage Studies

Children who spent the first period of life in deprived environments suffer lasting cognitive and social-emotional deficits.
The effects of deprivation can be overcome by a move to a stimulating environment.
The degree to which deficits can be overcome is related to the period of time spent in the deprived environment.

Head-Start Studies

Woodhead (1985): Long-term effects of school readiness program showed no lasting IQ gains but significantly fewer referrals for "special education" programs and increased likelihood of finishing high school.
Perry Preschool Program: No permanent IQ gains but better social competence.
More recent Head Start programs:
Early Head Start began in 1995, serving low-income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers up to 3 years of age.
Outcomes at 3 years: EHS children showed better cognitive and language skills, displayed higher emotional engagement, and were less aggressive; EHS parents were more emotionally supportive, provided more language and learning stimulation, read more to children, and spanked less.

The Abecedarian Project

Features of the approach:
Began early in infancy
Random assignment of infants from low-income families to intervention and control conditions
No initial differences on infant mental and motor tests
Treated children had 5 years of exposure to early education in a high-quality child-care setting
Individualized programs with emphasis on language
Results:
At 4 years: Benefits in language, social interactions, and IQ
At 12, 15, 21 years: Benefits in IQ, reading, and math
Enhanced language skills a major factor in enhancing cognitive skills
At 21 years: Intervention group had higher education level and lower unemployment

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Description

This quiz explores the effects of psychological deprivation on infants and the subsequent stimulation they receive. It references Goldfarb's 1945 study comparing early placement of children in foster homes.